Laos has prohibited the import of Thai instant boat noodles, also known as Kuay Tiew Rua following reports of bacteria contamination in the product.
The Department of Food and Drugs in Laos issued a notice earlier this month to ban the import of Lerros Instant Boat Noodles from Thailand as it contained an exceeding amount of the bacteria Bacillus cereus than the usual standard, which could cause health issues.
The instant noodles were contaminated with about 6,600 CFU (colony-forming units of microorganisms) over the standard set by the Ministry of Health in Thailand of 1,000 CFU for seasoning packages, noodles, and vermicelli.
The Food and Drugs Administration in Thailand also warned the public about the consumption of the instant noodles distributed by the Lerros Interfoods Company based in Samut Prakan Province, according to Thai PBS.
The Lao Department of Food and Drugs urged and directed food inspectors to monitor the importation and traffic of the product in the market and inform the residents to avoid consuming, selling, or importing them at the moment.
Sickness from Bacillus cereus can begin 6 to 15 minutes after eating contaminated food, and some may experience nausea and vomiting between 30 minutes to six hours after consuming the food.